All musculoskeletal problems related to the neck, upper extremities, and shoulders. For example, the “rotator cuff” is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The rotator cuff muscles are important in shoulder movements and in maintaining shoulder joint stability.
One of the most important things is to treat rotator cuff injury as soon as possible. The initial 48-72 hours are vital for a speedy recovery and complete. The conventional medical treatment as soon as injury occurs is rest, ice, compression, elevation, and referral.
Deciding on when a torn rotator cuff will need surgical intervention is dependent on how the injury responds to other treatments. If other forms of non-surgical treatments prove to be ineffective even after a number of months, rotator cuff surgery may be needed.
Whether or not surgery is needed, bed rest and elevation of the retained arm are critical to the well-being and the recovery of the patient.
A search of the prior art discloses some prior art devices that are known that may be useful.                U.S. Pat. No. 7,563,236 (Kazmierczak, et al.) discloses a shoulder sling for the treatment of, for example, gleno-humeral dislocations and subluxations, capsular shifts, postoperative rotator cuff repair, postoperative Bankart procedures and soft tissue strains and repairs. The sling includes a support pillow abuts the wearer's torso, and a pouch that receives the wearer's arm. A plurality of straps suspend the pillow and pouch from the wearer's non-treatment shoulder. One of the straps prevents the pillow from shifting relative to the patient, thus securely maintaining the wearer's arm at desired angles of abduction and external rotation. The pillow further includes an attached exercise grip and an indicator line that aids a physician in properly fitting the sling to the wearer.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,441,293 (Singer, et al.) discloses a support for a lower shoulder and extended arms of a person tying on their side. One embodiment comprises a set of three stacked cushions to support a lower shoulder and both extended arms of a patient in a lateral and semi-lateral position on a bed. A bottom cushion has a flat compressible surface to support the patients lower shoulder and a middle cushion. Smaller middle and top cushions stack on the bottom cushion. The middle and top cushions each comprises a top surface with a furrow for support and access to the arms. In addition, the middle and top cushions have cut-off corners that provide access to the person's nasopharyngeal cavities.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,215 (Singer, et al.) discloses a support for extended arms of a person tying on his or her side. A bottom cushion and a top cushion are rectangular and have top furrows so that when stacked they can support and provide access to the arms generally perpendicular to a patient lying on their side. In addition the bottom cushion and the top cushion have cut-off corners, respectively, which align to provide access to the nasal and oral cavities during surgical procedures performed in these positions.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,781 (Itoi) discloses a shoulder dislocation acute-phase immobilization orthosis that is used a shoulder dislocation acute-phase immobilization orthosis for supporting, in treatment for a shoulder dislocation, an arm in a prescribed position while the elbow is bent at a right angle in an arm hanging position. The orthosis comprises a support frame integrally formed of a lightweight hard thick-plated material, with a width approximately greater than that of the forearm, comprising: a curved portion which follows the shape of the abdominal part of a body and an arm supporting side face of approximately the forearm length, which is integrally extended forward from one end of the curved portion via a bent portion and is bent at an appointed angle; an arm supporting member(s) for immobilizing the forearm, provided on the arm supporting side face of the support frame; and a wrap-around belt made of a flexible material having a width identical to that of the support frame, provided with a surface fastener for fitting the support frame to the trunk part of a body.        U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,660 (Scott) discloses an arm elevation support device comprising a generally monolithic humerus support, a contoured well shoulder anchor, and a radius and ulna support. The monolithic humerus support is operable to abut against a patients side and underlies the humeral portion of a patients arm. The contoured well shoulder anchor includes a contoured sleeve portion operable to be worn around the acromial portion of a patients well arm and two straps which releasably connect the well shoulder anchor to the monolithic humerus support. The radius and ulna support connects to the monolithic structure and provides support for a patients forearm and hand.        U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,701 (Schaefer) discloses a shoulder abduction splint constructed from a unitary block of synthetic foam material is illustrated providing in a single disposable support a splint for selectively positioning the arm in a substantially 90 degree position with respect to the body or an intermediate position with respect to the body as dictated by the results of surgery on the shoulder.        U.S. Pat. No. D317,840 (Jagdat) discloses an ornamental design for a pillow, although there is no indication as to how the pillow is to be used.        
U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/277,049, entitled “Orthopedic Support Pillow” (Mahler, discloses an orthopedic support pillow is for use by a patient having a retained arm while the patient is lying in a generally prone position sideways on a resting surface. The orthopedic support pillow comprises two side surfaces, the two side surfaces opposing each other, and a bracing surface. The bracing surface is disposed between the two side surfaces, and abuts the abdominal section of the patient when the patient is lying in the prone position sideways. The orthopedic support pillow provides stability and support to the retained arm in an elevated position while the patient is in the generally prone position on the resting surface.
In addition, prior art is also known that enables a user to adjust the amount of support provided by a pillow.                U.S. Pat. No. 7,634,829 (La Bar) discloses a self-contained head and chest support kit for indoor and outdoor use, which allows a patient to support his head and chest for comfort, the kit consisting of a head and chest pillow, a head pillow cover, a chest pillow cover, an adjustment strap, an air pump to inflate the head pillow and the chest pillow, and a convenient storage bag. During use for sunbathing, the head pillow supports the forehead, while the chest pillow keeps the patients spine in prior alignment, thereby also elevating the face away from the sand or ground and preventing the face from burning due to overexposure from the sun. When used for sleeping, the head pillow and chest pillow allow the neck and back muscles to lie in a more relaxed position and create a better posture. Use of the pillows in the present kit helps alleviate tension in the neck and back muscles.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,038 (Ganoe) discloses an adjustable air pillow for the head, neck, and spine includes an internal air bladder that can be incrementally inflated and deflated so that a conformable padding with a recessed upper surface that completely encloses the air bladder can support and elevate the individual's head, neck and spine for obtaining the proper alignment thereof for rest, relaxation or sleep. The incremental inflation and deflation of the air bladder is controlled from a control box that encloses an air pump interconnected to the air bladder by a flexible air line, and the control box can be powered by batteries or by plugging the control box into a standard wall outlet for being powered by normal house current.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,219 (Roberts) discloses an inflatable pillow has an air-impervious flexible bladder with one or more chambers therein which are inflatable to different shapes, thicknesses and firmness to conform the pillow to the requirements of different individuals. A soft cover is removably placed on the bladder to enhance the comfort and appearance of the pillow, and the cover is removable for cleaning. In one form of the invention, opposite ends of the pillow are recessed to provide clearance for the face of a person using the pillow, when the person is lying on his or her side. A cervical support portion of increased thickness or firmness extends along a front edge of the pillow.        
What is needed is an orthopedic support pillow that will alleviate musculoskeletal problems related to the neck, upper extremities, and shoulders, enabling ailing and recovering patients to rest comfortably while lying in a prone position, either on the patient's back or side while elevating a retained arm and experiencing some relief.
What is needed is an orthopedic support pillow that will provide support for an aging population suffering from arthritis in the shoulders, neck, back, and upper extremities to rest comfortably and adjust the support that the orthopedic support pillow provides over an entire range of the retained arm.
More specifically, what is needed is an orthopedic support pillow that will provide support for a person with an ailing rotator cuff, to elevate such arm while reclining in a prone position with such arm elevated and supported, in a stable position, enabling such person to rest comfortably for extended periods of time.